Mental health Internet and consistent information can help

Providing the public with an accurate estimate of how long the lockdown will last and ensuring provision of good internet access will prove key to its success, research shows.

A review of more than 3,000 academic papers on the psychological impacts of quarantine by the Department of Psychological Medicine, King’s College London, found that lockdowns of the type now in place in Britain and around the world cause a wide range of “negative psychological effects” including post-traumatic stress, anger, and confusion.

“Stressors included longer quarantine duration, infection fears, frustration, boredom, inadequate supplies, inadequate information, financial loss, and stigma,” the authors said. But the negative effects of quarantine – and adherence to it – can be greatly improved by enabling people to communicate easily with one another and being consistent about how long people should expect to be locked down for.

“The quarantine period should be short and the duration should not be changed unless in extreme circumstances,” the study warns.

Providing “robust” internet access to allow people to communicate directly with loved ones is also likely to “reduce feelings of isolation, stress, and panic”.

Of the 3,166 papers identified by the research team, 24 were reviewed in detail. Studies were conducted across 10 countries and included people’s experience of quarantine during epidemics of Sars, Mers, Ebola and influenza.